Season 6 Episode 12: Albion's Great Trial part 1
by katiec32
Summary: /merlinseason6 the second last episode!


_In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man. His name: Merlin._

"EMRYS!" Morgana screamed with fury. Old Merlin was standing, hands raised, with Sigan trapped in the whirlwind in front of him. Morgana and Mordred ran toward him, but were pushed back by the wind. Morgana raised her hand to send a spell toward Merlin, but it was no use. His spell was too strong and she could not reach him.

Sigan could see Morgana and Mordred fighting against the wind to reach him. He tried to move, tried to escape, he managed to raise his hand, his eyes flashed gold but nothing happened.

Morgana and Mordred fought against the wind. Mordred had Arthur's sword drawn. They struggled but slowly moved closer and closer.

Opening Credits

Old Merlin saw Morgana and Mordred moving closer to them. He kept one palm facing Sigan and threw the other in the air toward Morgana and Mordred. They were thrown backwards off their feet and hit the wall behind them.

With his free hand, Old Merlin pulled the glass jewel from his pocket. Sigan's eyes widened with horror.

"Time to go back" Old Merlin said firmly. He placed the jewel onto the ground and started to chant 'Ic þín sáwol hér beléac, abide þæt ic þé álíese!"

"No!" Sigan screamed, but it was useless. Old Merlin started to lower his hands, the wind died down and Belin's body fell to the ground as the blue whisp of his soul left it. Old Merlin continued to chant, the soul swirled around, entering into the jewel. Old Merlin's eyes flashed, the jewel glowed brightly. Old Merlin breathed a relieved sigh and bent down to pick it up, he looked at with awe, and placed it under his robe, into his pocket.

Gwaine, Percival, Galahad and Leon were still chatting around the campfire when Sir Robyn ran up to them.

"Leon! Mordred's men, they are returning!" he yelled. The Knights all exchanged a fleeting look. They grabbed their weapons and ran with Robyn leading the way. "Regroup, prepare for battle" Leon yelled to the camp as they ran. The Knights all grabbed their swords and joined them, running away from the camp.

They reached the plains near the standing stone. Mordred's army was small, and Mordred was nowhere to be seen. "On me!" screamed Leon, and he lead the Camelot Knights in their attack. As they drew close the man who had questioned Mordred about the dragon stepped forward. He held up his hands, and sheathed his sword.

Leon raised his hand and the men behind him stopped, though all kept their swords drawn.

The man from Mordred's army took another step forward. "We wish you no harm."

The Camelot Knights cautiously stepped forward. "We are fighting a war that is not ours." The man continued. Leon exchanged a look with Gwaine, and slowly started to lower his sword.

Old Merlin started to walk over to where Morgana and Mordred had fallen. Mordred was kneeling on the ground, he had thrown his sword way from him and had Morgana's head in his lap, she was unconscious and he was trying to wake her. As he walked closer Arthur ran up beside him, "you've done it…" he said. Old Merlin shook his head, "it's not over yet, be careful." Arthur followed his gaze to Mordred.

Mordred looked up at them as they approached. He had tears running down his cheeks as his eyes left Morgana. "You will pay for this" he said darkly, "how could you do this, Emrys?" Old Merlin looked sadly down at him, "you left me no choice" he said simply. Mordred glared up at him, "you always have a choice. You chose betray your kind, you chose to side with someone who would see you dead in an instant." Old Merlin shook his head, "Arthur is not like that, he was your friend, and you chose to betray him." "HE KILLED KARA!" Mordred shouted, his eyes filled with hatred and rage. "He gave her a second chance, she didn't take it" Old Merlin said calmly. Mordred scoffed, "chance? He never gave any of us a chance." He raised his hand quickly and his sword flew from the ground toward Arthur. Merlin stepped in front of Arthur, pushing him to the ground as he did so. He held up his palm and firmly said "No!" The sword grazed Merlin's chest. Arthur hit the ground, "Merlin! No!" he shouted. The sword turned and flew back toward Mordred. It pierced his chest and he slumped against the wall. "You are a fool Merlin… you fight against those you should be standing with" Mordred said spitefully. "It is not me who is foolish Mordred, our gifts were given to us to use for good, you have forgotten that" Merlin replied sombrely. Mordred coughed into his hand, as it fell to his side Merlin could see blood. "What do you hope to achieve? You will never be recognised for what you do" Mordred said softly. "I do not seek recognition, I seek peace" Merlin said firmly. Mordred opened his mouth as if to speak, but then he took a shuddering breath and his eyes closed. He was dead.

Arthur was still lying on the ground looking up at Merlin with awe, "Are you alright?" he asked as he got to his feet. Old Merlin nodded, he pressed his hand to his chest and there was a trickle of blood. Arthur ripped off a piece of fabric from his tunic and pressed it onto the wound, he looked at Merlin enquiringly, "how did you do that?" "I recognised the scene from my dream, I knew what was going to happen, it gave me enough time to slow the sword." Arthur stared at Merlin, then back down at Mordred. He nodded, and squeezed Merlin's shoulder. He pulled his sword from Mordred's chest and looked over at Morgana.

As they looked at her, her eyes fluttered open. "Help me Emrys, please…" she said softly. Old Merlin looked down at her with a frown, "is this really what you wanted, Morgana?" he asked.

"Please!" she begged, before falling unconscious again.

Suddenly her face changed, they could see the Sidhe within her.

Percival was still clutching the wound on his arm as the Camelot Knights made their way back to camp.

He sat down near the campfire with Leon, Galahad and Gwaine. "Well, that was unexpected…" said Gwaine.

Leon nodded, "all this time, they were fighting out of fear of Morgana" he said sadly.

Galahad looked over at Percival, "I can heal it?" he said tentatively. Percival looked at him with a slight frown, but then smiled and nodded.

Galahad crouched down next to him and held his hand over the cut on his arm. His eyes flashed and Percival's eyes widened. The cut had healed. "Thank you" he said seriously, grinning at Galahad. Leon and Gwaine smiled as Galahad nodded and stood up.

Leon looked off into the distance with a frown, "they have been gone a long while." Gwaine frowned also and followed his gaze, "Arthur said not to come after them…" he said slowly. Leon sighed, "we can wait a bit longer…"

Gwaine nodded, "they will be fine, if anyone can do this, Merlin can." Percival smiled, "you really had no idea he was a sorcerer?" he asked Gwaine. Gwaine grinned, "no, I should have worked it out… I always thought he was braver than the lot of us… now I know why." Galahad smiled, "he and Arthur will be fine, I have no doubt." Leon gave a weak smile, but his face was troubled as he stared into the fire.

Morgana drew a great shuddering breath, her body shook and the Sidhe, no more than a tiny light flew away from her. Old Merlin held his hand toward it. "Metodsceafte" he cried. His spell flew toward it but narrowly missed. "Metodsceafte" he cried again. This time he hit the target, the tiny creature was killed.

Arthur looked at Old Merlin with horror, "what was that?" Old Merlin shook simply shook his head.

He closed his eyes, he opened them and they flashed gold, he turned back into his young self. Arthur smiled at him, "well done Merlin" he said seriously.

But Merlin ignored him, he was staring down at Morgana, "stay back Arthur" he said, pushing Arthur behind him. "What is it?" Arthur said. "Stay behind me." Merlin said firmly, not taking his eyes off Morgana. Morgana's eyes flew open.

Gwen was standing on the battlement alone, staring forlornly out over the castle. Gauis walked up to her and gave her a smile, "are you alright, your highness?" Gwen smiled weakly at him, "fine Gauis…"

Gauis put an arm around her, "Arthur's destiny has just begun, he will return." She sighed, "how can you be so sure, Gauis?" He smiled, "Merlin will not let anything happen to him." Gwen nodded, "I do not doubt that….. I just hope they are both alright."

Morgana looked across at Mordred who was dead on the ground beside her. "NO!" she screamed, "what have you done?" She stood up shakily, her hand raised toward them.

"I will kill you for this" she said, her voice was cold and her eyes were full of rage. She raised her hand and sent a spell toward him. Merlin stood calmly, he raised his hand and the spell stopped short. She sent another spell flying at him, he remained still, his face eerily calm, his hand stayed raised and the spell, again, stopped short.

"Come on Emrys, fight back, or are you not as powerful as they say?" she taunted. Merlin remained calm and still, looking at her with a dark expression. "Look at what you are doing Morgana, this is madness" he said sadly.

"Madness? Madness?" she screamed, "until I am queen those of us with magic will never be free, is it so mad to fight for my freedom?"

"You do not fight for freedom, you fight with greed and anger, you have let hatred consume you, you will never truly be free." Morgana laughed a cruel cold laugh, "what would you know Merlin, you are pathetic, all that power and you choose to waste it on Arthur."

Arthur was standing behind Merlin with his sword drawn, he was ready to attack if needed, but listened intently to their exchange with a sad look on his face.

"It is not I who has wasted their gift" Merlin said firmly. Morgana laughed again, "no? and what is it you have achieved Merlin? You have spent years living in fear, hiding who you were, serving a King who hates you. Is that it?" She spat the words, looking at him with disgust.

"No, I don't expect you would understand" Merlin said, still standing confidently. "Humour me" she taunted. Merlin stared blankly back at her, "Arthur is destined for greatness. He has allowed magic to return, he has brought peace to the land. I gladly dedicate my gifts, and my life, to his cause."

Morgana raised her eyebrow, "how touching" she said sarcastically. "And then what? What do you hope for? That Arthur will recognise you? That you will be rewarded?" Merlin shook his head, "I am not like you, Morgana, I seek no recognition." She laughed at him, "no, you are nothing like me, you may be happy to deny your power, to hide in the shadow of a weak King, but not I."

Merlin looked at her sadly, "I fear you will never be happy."

She rolled her eyes, she raised her hand and said "Astrice!" A spell shot toward Merlin and he calmly deflected it again. His eyes flashed and a spell flew back toward her. It knocked her off balance but she was grinning as she stood up, "that's better Emrys."

She kept her hand raised toward him but spoke to Arthur, "What about you Arthur, not going to fight?"

"I am not here to fight you, Morgana" he said firmly. "What are you here for? Come to chat? Come to make friends?" she spat. Arthur frowned, "we were friends once." Morgana nodded, "that was a long time ago, things have changed" she glared at him. "Come on Arthur, aren't you going to fight for your Kingdom?" Arthur didn't reply, he stared back at her.

"I thought you were brave, noble, yet here you are, hiding behind a servant." She spat the word servant as though it disgusted her. Arthur's brow furrowed and he took a half step forward.

Merlin did not take his eyes off her, "Arthur, don't" he said firmly. He held out his arm to hold Arthur back. Arthur stopped, but did not move back.

Morgana laughed, she looked at Arthur with a smirk, "taking orders from a serving boy Arthur? You really are pathetic."

Arthur took another step forward and raised his sword.

Arthur glared at her. Morgana smiled.


End file.
